The present invention relates to a handler which transports an electronic device.
Conventionally, a handler is used to handle an electronic device when inspecting an electronic device such as a semiconductor device or writing data in it.
The handler chucks an electronic device from an IC tray on which electronic devices are arrayed and mounted, and transports the electronic device to a tester or writer to inspect it or write data in it. To increase the efficiency of the handler, there has been developed a technique of executing inspection or data write at once for a plurality of electronic devices arrayed and mounted on the IC tray (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-309787).
This technique uses a test tray on which a plurality of holes each for receiving an electronic device package, and pads wired in accordance with the dimensions of the terminals of respective electronic devices are formed in conformity to a plurality of electronic devices arrayed on the IC tray. A test or data write is executed at once for a plurality of electronic devices transferred to the test tray. More specifically, the test tray is aligned with the IC tray bearing a plurality of electronic devices. In this state, the test tray and IC tray are turned over to transfer the electronic devices onto the test tray. Instead of the IC tray, a substrate (socket) having pads conforming to the dimensions of the lead terminals of the electronic devices is superposed on the test tray. The test tray and substrate are clamped and pressed by a press jig via a rubber, bringing the lead terminals of the electronic devices, the pads of the test tray, and the pads of the substrate into contact with each other. In this state, the signal input/output connector of the substrate is connected to the writer or tester to connect the lead terminals of a plurality of electronic devices mounted on the test tray to the writer or tester at once.
However, in the conventional technique, when transferring electronic devices from the IC tray to the test tray, an error may occur, failing to accurately arrange them on the test tray. The press jig presses the electronic devices in this state, generating a defective or a breakdown of the apparatus such that the lead terminal of the electronic device is bent or the test tray or socket is damaged. This is because electronic devices are transferred to the test tray by turning over the test tray and IC tray while superposing the test tray on the IC tray.